LAW OF THE LAND

Obama short of judges for liberal agenda

GOP appointees dominate bench

Published: 01/25/2013 at 11:42 AM

(WASHINGTON TIMES) President Obama already has sketched out a left-leaning legal agenda for his second term on issues such as gun control, climate change and gay rights, but he is falling far short in nominating the judges to help him uphold it.

During Mr. Obama’s first term, judicial vacancies rose about 50 percent. That was in stark contrast to the first terms of President Clinton and President George W. Bush, when vacancies on the federal bench declined by 65 percent and 34 percent, respectively, according to an analysis by the liberal Alliance for Justice think tank.

The report concluded that after four full years with Mr. Obama in the White House, Republican appointees still dominate the federal judiciary.